The 2014 Men’s Jeans Guide

Introduction

No, we don’t want to be enslaved by fashion or lose ourselves in trends, but style updates are necessary from time to time.

Certain elements of our wardrobe are prone to being overlooked or neglected. The basics we reach for – day in, day out – are often not given much consideration, but even the most timeless menswear pieces undergo subtle reinventions.

For instance, there have been a few changes to men’s jeans over the past couple of years that have flown under the radar. And with denim continuing to play a major role within the modern gent’s wardrobe, even the smallest tweak to your current collection can help instantly bring your look up to date.

The seasoned denim wearer will benefit from knowing what’s going on as well. Trying a new wash, fit or even a different brand can add a new dimension to your personal style and ensure your wardrobe doesn’t become stale.

So, what are the key considerations for 2014?

Relax A Little (Only A Little)

Prominent on the SS14 and AW14 fashion week runways, slim fits are still the best way to go this year.

Aim for mid-rise styles, cut close to the body, keeping the shape of your knees and calves unnoticeable. They come straight-legged or slightly tapered, the latter being the best fit for shorter legs.

Around the hips, make sure they fit snug at the time of purchase as they will give after a couple of days wear.

You’re likely to notice that, although still slim, jeans are slightly more relaxed this season (see the D2SQUARED and Ralph Lauren collections below). Embrace the extra room, but don’t go baggy just yet.

On The Runways

A Subtle Wash Is OK

Have you been stressing about how to keep the dark raw indigo colour on your jeans? There are plenty of techniques: cold water with salt, inside-out wash, short machine cycles, hand-washing – although the only method that really works is dry-cleaning, which is far from a viable solution.

The good news: rugged, worn denim might be just the right counterbalance for the silky fabrics, flowery prints and other delicate trends that are set to dominate SS14. This means they can go in the machine, fade a little and still look right.

Don’t get the bleach out just yet though: you want a naturally weathered, slightly broken-in look. The kind of jeans that just lost their raw hue. No acid wash, nineties faded blues, evident whiskers or other graphic washing processes.

A good sixty degree machine cycle and a tumble dry to unwashed indigo will do the trick.

We Won’t Do Brights

We’ve had previous seasons of fluorescent, rich and pastel shades of coloured denim. This year, let’s keep it dark and subtle.

We want earth tones, khaki green, burgundy or deep blues. It will be easy to get hold of them – they will be proudly displayed in shop windows as the new spring collections arrive over the coming weeks.

Therefore, unless you have the perfect plan to sport a specific bright shade, stick to understated hues that will slot seamlessly into your existing wardrobe and anchor any other bold spring/summer trends you have your eye on.

Lookbook Inspiration

Key Colours

Diesel Jeans Belther Slim Fit Colour Mutation

Levis Line 8 Jeans 511 Slim Fit Licorice

Levi’s 511 Slim New Woad 3d Jeans In Blue

Blue Blue Japan Slim-fit Rinsed Denim Jeans

7 For All Mankind Slimmy Coloured Jeans

Boss Orange Man Orange24 Barcelona Jeans

Reiss Montreal Slim Fit Twill Jeans Grey

A.p.c. Petit Standard Slim-fit Jeans

He By Mango Slim-fit Black Tim Jeans

White: Yay Or Nay?

White denim is a style conundrum. It belongs in the same league as cargo pants, pleated trousers and boot cuts: items that go in and out of style too quickly, and come complete with confusing appropriateness rules.

Street style reports have been showing stylish men around the world wearing white jeans in a refreshing way: forgetting rules like that ‘no white after September’, for example, and styled just like regular indigo jeans.

White jeans will make your flannel plaid jacket look fresh in autumn; work really well with any shirt in summer; and encourage us all to step out of our blue jeans comfort zone.

Keep in mind: we mean white – so say no to cream or ecru replacements.

FashionBeans Tip: If you notice your white is tarnished after a few washes, add a small amount of bleaching powder (specifically designed products for garments) to the wash, like you do to your white shirts.

Lookbook Inspiration

Key Pieces

Levis 511 Light Jeans In White

Diesel Jeans Belther 826c Slim Fit

He By Mango Slim-fit White Alex Jeans

Reiss 1971 St Tropez Twill Denim Jeans White

Uniqlo Men Slim Fit Straight Jeans

Saint Laurent Slim-fit 17.5 Hem Dry-denim Jeans

The Length Dilemma

Another question for which there’s no definitive answer: the length of our jeans.

Hemming them to suit a specific style of shoe goes against the versatile nature of the garment, yet bulking fabric around the ankles is never acceptable. So, here are two options for you to consider:

Have them hemmed at the end of your ankles: right before it touches the top of your foot. This length works well with loafers, boots and lace-ups, showing a bit of sock or flesh on a warm day. It suits different heights and looks best on slightly tapered cuts.

Two inches longer than the end of the ankle: looks great on selvedge denim or a well-finished pair worth turning up. The turn-up also helps to break up your vertical line, which makes this a great option for tall men who are conscious of their leg length. However, this also means they should be avoided by short men as they can make their legs appear shorter than they are.

Jeans: Turn-Up Lookbook

Jeans: Minimum Break Lookbook

The Size-Up Trick

If you are the kind of man who buys multiples of a favourite, a trick I learned from a store salesman might be of great help. You can have the same jeans in two versions: a comfortable, weekend pair to be worn with a parka on a rainy Sunday to brunch with friends, and a slimmer, fitted version for a night out or wearing with tailoring.

Here’s how to do it: buy your chosen pair in an I-can-barely-fasten-it size, which will stretch after a couple of wears but will remain snug enough for smart evening events.

The second pair, in the same style, can be bought in your actual size and will stretch to a slightly more relaxed fit – suitable when you’re around those who already like you for your great personality.

And if multiple buying isn’t yet part of your routine, remember that great style is all about consistency.

“That Much For Jeans?”

A bit of controversy to wrap up this guide: is it worth it to splurge on a pair of designer jeans? Aren’t fast fashion versions just as good?

Denim is the most likely wardrobe staple to be subjected to judgement against its high-end market niche. To help you make an informed decision, take note:

Branding is old news (and nobody’s business). If on top of a prestigious brand there’s no special fabric, impeccable cut or intricate detailing, a high price tag is a rip-off.

Instead, look for specialist denim labels who focus on premium materials, age-old construction techniques and offer real value for money. A.P.C., Levi’s, Diesel, Edwin, Evisu and ACNE are just some of the great brands that have been producing high quality raw selvedge denim for decades – and will continue to do so for many more to come.

More affordable versions are available if you search hard enough. Provided they fit well, look respectably understated and don’t present any tough compromises, there is nothing stopping you from shopping the high street. UNIQLO are a great place to start.

Key Styles

Wrangler Bryson Jeans In Rinse Wash

Asos Straight Jean In Indigo

Nudie Slim Fit Jeans Grim Tim In Dark Navy Wash

Cheap Monday Slim Jeans In Raw Denim

Edwin Ed-80 Deck Jeans In Soak Wash

Levis Jeans 511 Slim Fit Black Truffle

Acne Studios Ace Cash Slim-fit Denim Jeans

A.p.c. Petit Standard Slim-fit Dry Selvedge Denim Jeans

Diesel Krayver Slim Jeans

Uniqlo Men Slim Fit Straight Jeans

Reiss Bauer Denim Twill Jeans Indigo

Gap The Selvedge Pant Slim Fit

Final Word

So there you have it, some guidelines to consider when updating your denim collection in 2014.

Feel free to share your own jeans quirks, tricks and tips in the comments section below…

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About The Author: Gabriel Weil

Gabriel Weil is a London-based style editor with a background in product design.

He writes for international publications such as Harper's Bazaar and consults for fashion companies and individuals looking for an editorial eye to power their ventures.

There Are 21 Comments

Field Posted On 28th February 2014:

For me at just has to be Nudie, PRPS and Levis . Have a few great pairs of raw selvedge from Nudie and PRPS. Can’t go wrong with these brands IMHO.

Jonathan Posted On 28th February 2014:

I personally don’t do jean trends, similar to shirt trends. Always been a slimmer fit jean man is the essential colours with the exception of burgundy and white which I think are great additions. Slim calf to show off footwear, I can’t stand relaxed fit , personally think they look very sloppy

Trey Alexander Posted On 28th February 2014:

Hello,

First off great article, I loved it.

Quick question, how tall do you have to be for turn ups on jeans? Also do weight and size have playable factors as well? Thanks, Trey

Brock Posted On 5th March 2014:

Trey, if you’re shorter (I’m 5’6″) you can sstill turn them up. But make sure the “cuff” is thin (like 1″ or less). Use 2 or 3 tight rolls, rather than one of two wide ones.

Make sense?

Btw, this is a great guide. I just had this one correction about turn ups. I’m short, and I do this all the time. Looks great, especially with boots.

Jombotrone Posted On 28th February 2014:

Curious on why you say to stay away from cream colored pants?

Thank you

Alan Posted On 28th February 2014:

Brilliant item well written and covered all the key considerations, many thanks. I love white jeans and the skinny tapered jeans from uniqlo at £34 are an absolute steal.

Jesse W Posted On 1st March 2014:

I rejuvenated my jeans look by taking my designer denim to the tailor, shortening and tapering them to show just a slight bit of sock with my loafers. It really updated and freshened my look and I didn’t have to buy new jeans. The tricky part is finding a tailor you trust at a reasonable price.

Just if anyone wanted to know my favorite denim brands for overall fit and quality right now are Hudson, J brand, and 7 for all mankind(as long as the pockets aren’t busy).

Also forgive me for saying, but… Diesel is too expensive for China-made jeans.

Jesse W Posted On 1st March 2014:

Oh and nice piece by the way!

Adil Safir Posted On 1st March 2014:

Im not here to gloat ( …well i kind of am) but since the beginning of 2014 i havent bought any clothing (apart from underwear and tailoring) new, everything was bought from the charity shops and after some looking ive found some pretty nice jeans. considering my waist size is 28 inches i think thats a result. Charity shops people.

Chris Posted On 2nd March 2014:

I love Boggi Milano for coloured trousers and jeans. The fit is amazing if your shape is tall and slim. I disagree on the bright colours – they look great in summer and very chic.

Tweeto Posted On 2nd March 2014:

The problem with slim fit is that they are only slim on certain people. If you’ve got really skinny legs, slim jeans just aren’t slim enough. They can look like a relatively standard baggy fit because most manufacturers make them to suit larger legs.

Tom Posted On 12th March 2014:

Exactly! I’ve bought slim fit jeans before and they just look baggy. Skinny is necessary for me.

Trey Alexander Posted On 5th March 2014:

Thanks Brock!

Al Posted On 11th March 2014:

anybody know anywhere you can dye jeans to bring them back to life, they are diesel joggyjeans?

Smith Posted On 2nd April 2014:

Brilliant article ..was a good read….appreciate that….

Andrew Baler Posted On 25th April 2014:

hi,

thanks for the tip, good read as always.

got a question, how wide the leg opening at bottom of the pants should be? is there a standard size?

thanks!

Patrick Posted On 7th May 2014:

What ever happened to black jeans? I mean jet black, non shiny jeans. Hard to find these days in real denim without shine or wrinkles and all that crap.

Isobella Posted On 25th July 2014:

Just want to let meant know; We hate it when your jeans are barely hanging on to your hips. A higher rise is not for old men. American guys need to get a grip, and try wearing their pants an inch or so belwo the bellybutton. Not four inches below the belly button.

Paul Posted On 25th July 2014:

For those of you who tired of the same brand jeans and the lack of quality, check this out. Gustin make crowd funded clothing… mainly jeans. I’m waiting on my first pair to make sure I get the sizing right. The fabrics used are something special. I’m not associated with them just passing this on.

Max Posted On 25th July 2014:

I do like to rock my wide (let’s say widest) leg jeans or baggy pants. Actually they look so wide to appear kinda of 30’s so called Oxford Baggy Pants and I prefer to buy them in light blue washed or even bleached, usually they must have a “28 leg opening cause I’ve Always had a real passion for wide leg jeans. Currently I have a pair of old 2005 D&G (still made in Italy) wide leg jeans wich I have modified adding other inches of denim in the same washing of Course in Order to obtain an opening leg of 28 inch, my Ideal size leg. Lately, in addiction, I bought a rare and beautiful pair of JNCO called Wide Load and they also have a leg opening of 28, absolutely wide and stylish, I had been Lucky cause I found them in my favourite washing wich is the light blue (I’ve Always hated dark colours). Please, fortgive my bad English, I’m from Italy.

Bob Posted On 10th August 2014:

Thanks for the article. I am not ashamed to say that I just can’t always get jean sizes/cuts/styles right, but your article helped a lot.

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